Dark Angel
by Sunny Swift
Summary: The Taylor's once again are blindsided by illness
1. One

Dark Angel

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, show, or the actors that play them. I do however own the plot so leave it alone please. I give cookies for reviews soooooo please…..

Summary: The Taylor's are once again blindsided by illness.

"Hello, Mrs. Taylor."

"Hi, Dr. Lewis."

"I have the results of the boys' check ups."

Dr. Lewis' expression became grave. Jill's heart dropped into her stomach. This very time last year they thought that her son Randy had cancer. Fortunately it turned out to be hypothyroidism which is easily treated.

"What's wrong….Is it Randy?"

"No. Randy's condition is under control and other than that is in good health… My concern is with Mark."

"Mark?"

"During my exam I noticed some irregularities."

"Irregularities?"

"Yes. His reflexes were weak. He is showing reduced strength in his hands, his balance is off , and he was having a hard time following my fingers with his eyes."

"What does all that mean?"

"It means that there is something not right in his central nervous system."

"What do you think it is?"

"At this point I do not know, but I have set up a referral for Mark to see a college of mine. His name is Dr. Richard Ling, he is a neurosurgeon at Coldridge Children's Hospital."

Jill sat dumbfounded.

"When?"

"Today at three o'clock."

"Okay. Why so soon?"

" When dealing with possible conditions of the brain, I think it's best to move as quickly as possible for testing, no one ever died because a disease was detected to early."

The word died bounced around inside her brain. Once again she was confronted with the possibility that one of her boys could be very sick, it truly is a parents worst nightmare. 

Jill jumped when there was a knock at the door. A nurse came in leading Mark.

"Have a seat, Mark."

"What's going on?"

Jill at a loss as of what to say took Mark's hand and looked to Dr. Lewis for help.

"Well Mark, when I examined you, your neuro check was off."

Confused Mark looked between his mom and his doctor.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that there may be something wrong with your central nervous system."

" Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately yes."

" You have an appointment today at three o'clock with a neurosurgeon at the hospital."

Mark just sat there at a loss for words. He had expected to come to the doctor this morning for a check up. He had been having dizzy spells lately, and he was going to tell the doctor about them during the exam, but was afraid he might want to do tests. Mark really hated doctors and hospitals. He thought that since he was going to have tests anyway he might as well spill the beans now.

"Dr. Lewis,.. I have been having dizzy spells lately."

"You have?"

"Oh Honey why didn't you tell me, I would have gotten you to the doctor right away?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"I'll put the dizzy spells in your file as symptoms, so Dr. Ling has a complete picture. Do you have any other symptoms that may help us in diagnosing the problem?"

"No."

"Okay then, I'll fax your file to Dr Ling."

"Thank you doctor."

"Good Bye." 


	2. Two

Dark Angel

Disclaimer: I don't own anything, plain and simple.

Authors Note: Thanks for reviewing, those who did, and please continue. I am epileptic, and I am describing the way I remember my exams going, but I have not had to have a check up in a few years, so they may not go like this anymore, but I am trying to be as accurate as my memory will allow.

"Hey, Bud you okay?"

"Yea Dad I'm okay."

Mark set on the edge of an exam table at Coldridge Hospital. The temperature was chilly and Mark's hospital gown did not provide adequate warmth. He began to shiver.

"Are you cold honey?"

Mark shook his head yes, and the unbearable feeling of helplessness increased when his dad put his coat over his legs.

"Is that a little better, bud?"

"Yea."

Dr. Ling entered.

"Hello, you must be the Taylors"

The Taylors exchanges hellos with the doctor and then Dr. Ling began with the exam. He was a no nonsense kind of man. Mark liked that, it made him feel safer that at least someone had control over things, because he sure as hell didn't and he knew his parents didn't either.

"Okay Mark, I want you to close your eyes and put your arms straight out to your sides. Good just like that. Now I want you to close your eyes and with your right hand touch your nose."

Mark concentrated hard but missed his nose completely.

"Okay, now the left."

Once again Mark tried, he came closer but still failed. Tim and Jill shared a concerned look.

" Okay Mark you can open your eye and hop off the bed. I want you to walk across the room, heel to toe like in a sobriety test."

"I think I can do that."

"Just hold on a second."

Mark turned a bright shade of crimson, when Dr. Ling tied up the bottom of Mark's hospital so his whole leg could be seen.

"Go ahead and walk to the door and back."

Mark tried but after three steps lost his balance and had to correct his footing, he tried it again and again he couldn't keep his balance.

"Come have a seat Mark."

Mark sat back down, and Dr. Ling took out a pen- light and shined it into Mark's eyes and scribbled something down on a chart.

"Okay Mark I want you, without moving your head follow my finger with your eyes."

Mark did as he was asked and Dr. Ling once again scribbled his findings down on his chart.

"So, what do you think is wrong with me?"

"I don't know yet Mark, but I do want to admit you for a few days to do some testing."

"Admit me?!"

"Why would he need to be admitted doctor?"

"Well, I'm concerned with some of my findings, and I would really like to keep him here to keep a close eye on him, at least until we know for sure what we are dealing with. I just want to be careful."

"It will be okay, honey."

Jill wrapped her arms around Marks shoulders.

"What kind of tests are you going to do?"

"Well I want to do an EEG which shows your brain wave patterns, and I also want to do an MRI as well as a CAT scan. I want to get some lab work done as well, basic blood tests and a lumbar puncture."

"What's that?"

"A lumbar puncture is more commonly called a spinal tap. What we'll do is insert a needle between to of the vertebrae in your lower back and collect a fluid sample. The test is uncomfortable but it is not as bad as people think."

"How long will I be here?"

"I can't tell you for sure, a few days at least. I want to take the testing at a slower pace, so it isn't as hard on your body. Any other questions?"

"Will I have to stay longer, if you find something wrong?"

" It depends on what we find, you may have to stay a little longer."

Mark's body bowed at the prospect of having to stay here longer. This didn't go unnoticed by Jill.

"Okay, well I'm going to go start your paper work, I'll be back in about half an hour."

"Okay thank you doctor."

Tim shook the doctor's hand. Tim turned to face his son, he could see the tears welling up in his eyes and he knew that Mark would never let them spill.

"Hey buddy, remember when the doctors thought that Randy had cancer and it turned out not to be anything serious, this might turn out the same way."

Tim reached over and squeezed Mark's shoulder to reassure him and let him know that it was all right.

There was a knock on the door and a nurse entered.

"Hi, I'm Jenna."

"Hello."

"Dr. Ling wants to put you on an IV while your in the hospital to help keep you hydrated, have you ever had one before?"

"No."

"It's really not that bad."

"I hate needles."

"I promise to make it quick."

Jill put her hand on Mark's knee to comfort him as the nurse searched for a good vein. She found one next to his wrist. Jill could feel Mark's muscle tighten when the needle pierced his skin.

"There we are, all done. That wasn't so bad was it?"

Jenna could see the boy was exhausted and cold, so she gave him a pillow and a blanket.

"Why don't you try to relax, it could be a while before they move you to a room."

"Thanks."

Mark placed the pillow behind his head and laid down on the uncomfortable gurney. Jill covered him up with the blanket and he soon drifter off.

Tim wrapped his arm around Jill's waist and she laid her head on his shoulder. For the longest time they just stood there and watched him sleep. It struck Tim just how small he looked, sure he was tall but he was so skinny. Brad was thick because of his athletics, Randy was short but still had a decent build, but Mark was just skin and bones. They used to be so close. Tim let go of Jill, went over to Mark, and picked up the sleeping boy's hand. Tim lightly traced the medical tape holding the IV in place with his fingers and then he ran hid fingers over Mark's chipped and fading black nail polish, and he realized he has no idea who Mark Taylor is

Jill broke the silence

"He is so quiet compared to Brad and Randy, that he has somehow faded into the background. If it weren't for the nail polish and make up he probably would have disappeared all together. Maybe if we had paid a little more attention to him this wouldn't have blindsided us."

She began to cry.

"Shhh, He'll be okay, he has to be."

Soon Jenna and Dr. Ling returned to move Mark to his room. Jill woke Mark up to transfer him from the gurney to a wheel chair. Mark opened his big eyes and blinked back the sleep. To Jill he wasn't fifteen anymore he was five, and it made her feel so helpless.

They soon had Mark moved to his room and settled. Tim and Jill were about to leave.

"I want to go home."

Mark's words were small and filled with desperation. Tears welled up in Tim's eyes.

"How about this bud, we stay until you fall asleep and make sure we're here first thing in the morning."

"Okay."

Mark's voice trembled with tears. Mark wanted his parents to stay so he kept fighting sleep but his eyes shut of their own accord. Tears ran out of the corners of his closed eyes, he was fast asleep before his cheeks were even dry.


	3. three

Dark Angel 3

Author's Note: Hey sorry it took so long for me to update, but my reader's theatre was on tour and I had mid-terms, plus work. Without further ado the story. Please review.

Brad and Randy were sitting in the living room trying to watch TV, but the later it got the more concerned they became for their little brother. After what happened last year with Randy, the Taylor's decided to never keep secrets of that kind from each other. They both jumped when they heard the front door open behind them. They stood and looked at Tim and Jill expectantly.

"Where's Mark?"

"They admitted him."

"Why! What's wrong with him?"

"They don't know jet. They're keeping him for testing."

"How long will he be there?"

"A few days at least."

"We are going back early to be with him before the testing starts, do you want to come?"

"I don't think that we will go real early in the morning, but we will stop by tomorrow to visit him."

"It's been a long day. We're going to bed."

3:54 AM

Tim and Jill were laying in bed talking, much the same way they were when they thought Randy could have cancer. The phone rang. They exchanged worried glances, their thoughts going directly to Mark. Tim rushed to the phone.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Taylor this is Dr. Ling."

Jill could see Tim's face fall.

"Tim what is it!?"

He held up his finger to tell her to hold on.

"Ok will be right there, thank you doctor."

"WHAT IS IT TIM!"

Tears were forming in Tim's eyes.

"Mark had a Grand Mal seizure, we have to get to the hospital right away!"

"Oh my God!"

Jill began to pull on cloths. Tim ran out in the hall and down to Brad's room.

"Brad wake up!"

Brad groggily came to the door.

"Yea?"

"Mark is really sick, get dressed and go wake up Randy we have to get to the hospital.


End file.
